Glass container inspection system

ABSTRACT

In the handling of glass containers into optical inspection stations and maintaining the containers at specific positions during rotation of the containers is an important consideration. The present case is directed to an arrangement of rollers which will engage the inner rim surface of the finish of the container when the container is elevated in the inspection station. The rollers are mounted so that they extend inwardly and downwardly with respect to the container finish. With this arrangement and with the rollers spring-biased against the elevated container, rotation of the container about its vertical axis will maintain the container at a specific axial position relative to the inspection system, the rollers and the pad on which the container is supported.

[ Sept. 24, 1974 nited States atent [1 1 Mills et al.

[ GLASS CONTAINER INSPECTION SYSTEM ABSTRACT .m J ew m w n 0 MOT. Bm s 0.m3 S07 .n9 Bm wa um mmw U DTOIJ m m l. 1 m .w V Se S h AF H NH 7 72 tant consideration. The present case is directed t arrangement of rollers which will en surface of the finish of the contai [21] Appl. No.: 379,638

ner when the container is elevated in the inspection station. The rollers [52] US are mounted so that they extend inward] y and downwardly with respect to the container finish. With this arrangement and with the rollers spring-biased against e elevated container, rotation of the container about its vertical axis will maintain the container at a cific axial position relative to the in spespection system,

the rollers and the pad on which the container is supported.

3,176,842 .4/1965 209/l1l.7 3,557,950 l/l971 Powers.............................209/ll1.7

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Primary Examiner-Richard A. Schacher Attorney, Agent, or Firm-D. T. Innis; E. J. Holler Pmmwsmm v 3.837.468

- SHEET 20F 3 l GLASS CONTAINER INSPECTION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed to the steadying and centering of glass containers during the period of inspection of the containers for optical defects in the finish of the container and also in the heel portion thereof. 'In the automatic inspection equipment, where a plurality of containers are successively indexed through a series of inspection stations, one of the stations normally will be that station at which the container is inspected for vertical checks in the finish and radial checks in the heel. In this station, the containers are raised upwardly by a generally horizontal pad having a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the container, and the containers are then rotated by rotation of the pad. In the past, these containers have been held in engagement with the spinner pad by rollers having generally horizontal axes, and the containers are raised into contact with these horizontal rollers. One problem involved in this arrangement is that when the supporting and spinning pad is relatively small, and the container is lifted into contact with the horizontal rollers, there is a tendency for the bottle to laterally shift its vertical axis relative to the axis of the spinner pad and, in effect, decentralizing the bottle in relation to the axis of rotation. This, in turn, creates a situation where it is doubtful that the optical inspection equipment which is locatedat the inspection station will be capable of providing accurate information with regard to the quality of the bottle. This is especially true when considering that optical inspection systems depend to a great extent upon the orientation of the illuminating light source relative to the structure of the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The steadying and centering of glass containers during rotation about their vertical axes at an inspection station, wherein a pair of diametrically opposed, inwardly extending rollers engage the inside of the upper rim of the finish of the'container such that during the rotation of the container relative to the rollers, the container will center itself and assume a specific axial rela tionship with respect to the rollers and axis of rotation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container centering and steadying apparatus of the invention shown in conjunction with a top vertical check detecting system;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus-of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the hold-down roller apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the hold-down apparatus illustrating the angle of the rollers.

With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus of the invention will be described in conjunction with a top vertical check detection system, it being understood that the optical inspection system illustrated is considered to be old in the art and is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,849, patented June 27, 1967.

As described in the foregoing patent, a light source takes the form of a tubular, downwardly extending,

member 11 with an opening 12 adjacent the lower end thereof. Within the opening 12 is a mirror positioned at approximately a 45 angle, such that the light will be projected from the tubular member 11 in a generally horizontal focused beam intercepting the finish of the container C. The axis of the tubular member 11 is somewhat offset with respect to the axis of the container, and the light, when impinging on a vertical check will be reflected through an angle of approximately 90 and be picked up or viewed by the photoresponsive light pickup 13. The details of the optical system, as previously stated, are not considered part of the novelty of this case. As can be seen when viewing FIGS. 1 and 2, the optical system is supported by a horizontal arm 14, which is adjustably clamped by the bifurcated member 15. A screw 16 in the member 15 serves as the clamping or tightening arrangement with respect to the arm 14. The bifurcated member 15, in turn, is supported on a vertical post 17. The post 17, in turn, is mounted to a support member 18 fixed in position in opposition to the container indexing and handling system. The container handling system takes the form of a pair of starwheels 19 and 20 which have cutout pockets within which the containers are positioned and moved or indexed into and out of inspection position. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a container in theinspection position and, as can best be seen in FIG. 2, the base plate or supporting plate 21 is formed with an opening therethrough at the inspection station. This opening is normally occupied by a circular pad 22. When the container to be inspected is brought into the inspection station, the starwheel will position the container on the pad 22. The pad 22 is elevated by a mechanism (not shown) to the position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. As previously discussed, one of the problems involved in supporting one of the containers on a relatively small pad as'shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,815, patented June 28, 1971, is maintaining'the axis of the container coincidental with the axis of the pad. With this in view, ap-

- plicants have provided a pair of rollers 23 and 24 which are contacted by the finish portion or neck portion of the container when the container is raised by the pad 22. The rollers 23 and 24 have their axes at approximately 22 /2 with respect to the horizontal. The roller 23 is carried or supported by an adjustable mounting fixture 25. Likewise, the roller 24 is carried by a similar fixture 26. Both of the fixtures 25 and 26 are bifurcated at their upper regions such that they may be adjustably supported on horozintal shafts 27 and 28 respectively. The shafts 27 and 28 are joined at their inner ends by a yoke member 29 which leaves the central portion of the container,'at the inspection position, exposed to the light system. As viewed toward the right in FIG. 2, it can be seen that the yoke member 29 has a downwardly extending portion 30. A horizontal opening extends through the portion 30 and another opening also extends through'a portion of the yoke member 29. These two openings carry a pair of pins 31 and 32. Both of the pins 31 and 32 extend from the yoke member 29 at one side thereof and the extending portion of pin 31 carries a generally horizontally extending arm 33. The arm 33 is pivotally supported bya pin 34 carried by an upstanding lug 35. The lug 35 also pivotally supports a pin 36 which extends through an arm 37. Both the arms 33 and 37 extend generally parallel to each other with the arm 33 being vertically above the arm 37. Furthermore, the rearward portion of the arm 33 carries an extension 38. This extension 38 is provided with an undercut portion 39, which serves as the upper retaining seat for a helical spring 40. The lower end of the spring 40 rests on the upper surface of the support member 18. The helical spring, as it will be readily appreciated, is under compression, and the position of the extension 38 relative to the support 18 is maintained by the force of the spring 40. Furthermore, when the bottle or container C is raised into inspection position, it will contact the rollers 23 and 24, causing the rollers 23 and 24 to raise with the only restraining force being the spring 40. The upward position of the extension 38 of the arm 33 is limited by the position of a pair of locking nuts 41 on a threaded shaft 42 positioned coaxially with respect to the helical spring 40. It can be seen that the locking nuts 41 will prevent the rollers 23 and 24 from dropping below the normal height of the container C as it is being brought into the inspection station. Obviously, the containers must be free to move into and out of the inspection station without interference, with the rollers 23 and 24 coming into play when the containers are raised by the pad 22. With the rollers at the particular angle shown, where they engage the inner rim surface of the container, rotation of the container by the pad 22 will maintain the container centrally with respect to the axis of the rotation pad 22. This, in turn, will assure the proper positioning of the container relative to the light source and the pickup or photodetector 13.

While the angle of the rollers has been stated as being 22- /z, it should be noted that this angle is not critical and was chosen as the steepest angle which would allow clearance for the optical system, with standard rollers when the smallest wide mouth jar is being inspected. The angle must be sufficient to give the centering effect to the container but not interfere with indexing of containers into and out of the station. It has been found that the angle range may be between 5 and 45 and perform when containers of various finish diameters are being inspected. For most containers of the widemouth style, the angle of the centering rollers will fall between 15 and 30.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for steadying and centering glass containers during rotation about their vertical axes at an inspection station comprising, a pair of diametrically opposed, inwardly extending rollers, a pair of generally horizontal shafts joined by a yoke member mounting said rollers with their axes extending downwardly at an angle of between 5 and 45 with respect to the horizontal, means resiliently supporting said shafts by said yoke, said rollers adapted to engage opposed portions of the inside of the upper rim of the container being inspected to maintain the container in a particular position during rotation when the container and rollers are moved relative to each other at the inspection station.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resilient mounting means comprises a pair of vertically spaced, generally horizontal bars pivotally connected to said yoke at one end and pivotally connected to a fixed mount at their opposite ends and means biasing one of said bars in a downward direction.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said biasing means comprises a helical compression spring extending from said fixed mount to an extension of said one of said bars.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including means between said one bar and said'fixed mount for limiting the movement of said bar in one direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rollers are adjustably mounted on said shafts at equal distances from the center of said yoke.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rollers are positioned at about 22.5 with respect to the axis of said shafts. 

1. Apparatus for steadying and centering glass containers during rotation about their vertical axes at an inspection station comprising, a pair of diametrically opposed, inwardly extending rollers, a pair of generally horizontal shafts joined by a yoke member mounting said rollers with their axes extending downwardly at an angle of between 5* and 45* with respect to the horizontal, means resiliently supporting said shafts by said yoke, said rollers adapted to engage opposed portions of the inside of the upper rim of the container being inspected to maintain the container in a particular position during rotation when the container and rollers are moved relative to each other at the inspection station.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said resilient mounting means comprises a pair of vertically spaced, generally horizontal bars pivotally connected to said yoke at one end and pivotally connected to a fixed mount at their opposite ends and means biasing one of said bars in a downward direction.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said biasing means comprises a helical compression spring extending from said fixed mount to an extension of said one of said bars.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including means between said one bar and said fixed mount for limiting the movement of said bar in one direction.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rollers are adjustably mounted on said shafts at equal distances from the center of said yoke.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said rollers are positioned at about 22.5* with respect to the axis of said shafTs. 